Fermented beverage, method for producing fermented beverage and method for preventing color fading of fermented beverage

Abstract

To provide a fermented beverage that can suppress the degrees of discoloration and fading with time after its production.SOLUTION: A fermented beverage contains colored wort fermentation liquid. There is also provided a method for producing a colored wort fermentation liquid-containing fermented beverage, or a method for preventing the color fading of a colored wort fermentation liquid-containing fermented beverage, wherein the coloring components are added in the preparation step of unfermented liquid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fermented beverage, a method for producing a fermented beverage, and a method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage, and in particular to a fermented beverage that can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading that occurs over time after production. [Background technology]

[0002] Diversifying consumer tastes have led to a variety of proposals for beer, happoshu, and other fermented malt beverages. Beer is generally described as yellow, gold, or amber in color, but dark brown or black beers can also be produced by using dark malt or caramel.

[0003] There are also beers whose colors are changed using coloring ingredients such as fruit juice and food colorings. For example, Kyodo Shoji Co., Ltd.'s "COEDO BEERS Beniaka" is a reddish-amber happoshu, while Hoppy Beverage Co., Ltd.'s "Akasaka Beer Rubinrot" and Miyazaki Hideji Beer Co., Ltd.'s "Murasakiaki 2018" are beers that use the natural coloring of Ayamurasaki sweet potato. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, malt fermented beverages manufactured using coloring ingredients such as fruit juice and coloring agents have the problem of discoloration and / or fading over time after production due to the effects of oxygen and heat, which reduces their commercial value. Furthermore, because color changes are affected not only by the passage of time but also by the storage environment, if products with different storage periods or environments are opened at the same time and poured into different glasses, the difference in the color of the liquid inside could lead to the misunderstanding that the products are different.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fermented beverage that solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and that can suppress discoloration and fading over time after production, and a method for producing the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the inventor discovered that by adding a coloring component during the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid, the degree of discoloration and fading of the fermented beverage over time after production can be reduced, and this led to the completion of the present invention.

[0007] That is, the fermented beverage of the present invention contains a colored wort fermentation liquid.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the colored wort fermented liquid is a fermented liquid obtained by fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least malt and coloring components as raw materials with yeast.

[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, one of the coloring components is anthocyanin.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0012] Another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention is a bottled beverage.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the fermented beverage of the present invention, the container is a brown container, a bottle container, or a brown bottle container.

[0014] In addition, in the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor of the present invention, a coloring component is added in the step of preparing the pre-fermentation liquor.

[0015] Furthermore, in the method of the present invention for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid, a coloring component is added in the step of preparing the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention, the fermented beverage has an absorbance of 0.1 or more measured at 530 nm immediately after production.

[0017] In another preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid of the present invention, the relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor according to the present invention, the fermented beverage is a bottled beverage.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment of the method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor or the method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquor according to the present invention, the container is a brown container, a bottle container, or a brown bottle container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fermented beverage that can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading that occurs over time after production, a method for producing the same, and a method for preventing fading of the fermented beverage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] The absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage A and fermented beverage B is shown. [Figure 2]The absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage C and fermented beverage D is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0023] One aspect of the present invention is a fermented beverage comprising a colored wort fermentation broth.

[0024] In this specification, the term "fermented beverage" refers to a beverage produced by fermenting raw materials such as malt, but also includes beverages prepared by mixing the product obtained through this fermentation process with an alcoholic beverage (e.g., distilled alcohol). In addition, fermented beverages made from at least malt as a raw material may also be referred to as "fermented malt beverages."

[0025] The alcohol content of the fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it may be either an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage. As used herein, the term "non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1%.

[0026] The fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably a beer-taste beverage. As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to a beverage that has the flavor of beer, regardless of its alcohol content. Specific examples include beer, happoshu, new genre (a type of sparkling alcoholic beverage that uses hops as one ingredient and does not fall under the category of beer or happoshu), and non-alcoholic beer.

[0027] When the fermented beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, its alcohol content is preferably 1 to 10%. In this specification, the alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of the volume of ethyl alcohol contained in the fermented beverage relative to the total volume of the fermented beverage, and "%" can also be expressed as "v / v%".

[0028] In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the colored wort fermentation liquid is a fermentation liquid obtained by fermenting a pre-fermentation liquid containing at least malt and coloring components as raw materials with yeast. Here, the "pre-fermentation liquid" refers to a liquid to be subjected to fermentation. In this specification, such a pre-fermentation liquid may also be referred to as "wort," but it is distinguished from general wort known in the art in that a coloring component is added in the preparation process of the pre-fermentation liquid.

[0029] The proportion of the colored wort fermentation liquor in the fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 95% by mass or more, and preferably 99% by mass or more. The fermented beverage of the present invention may also be a beverage consisting solely of the colored wort fermentation liquor.

[0030] The colored wort fermentation liquid contains at least malt as a raw material. During the mashing process, the carbohydrates and proteins in the malt are decomposed by the malt's own enzymes, and during the fermentation process, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced from the carbohydrate decomposition products by yeast. In this specification, components obtained from malt through saccharification and fermentation are referred to as "malt-derived components." Examples of malt-derived components include alcohol, carbon dioxide, non-fermentable sugars, and nitrogenous compounds such as amino acids and peptides.

[0031] The colored wort fermentation liquid can further contain grains other than malt and carbohydrates as other carbohydrate raw materials. Most of these other carbohydrate raw materials, like malt, undergo carbohydrate decomposition during the mashing process, and alcohol and carbon dioxide can be produced from the carbohydrate decomposition products during the fermentation process. Specific examples include grain raw materials such as barley, wheat, oats, etc., rice, corn, starch, koryan, soybeans, etc., potatoes, etc., and carbohydrate raw materials such as liquid sugar and sugar. The carbohydrate raw materials other than malt may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0032] When other carbohydrate raw materials are used in addition to malt, it is preferable that malt be the main component (the component with the highest weight ratio) of all the raw materials. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the carbohydrate raw materials other than malt contained as raw materials are preferably 1 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of malt.

[0033] The carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been shredded or pulverized. The shredding or pulverization of the carbohydrate raw material can be carried out by conventional methods. The pulverized carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been subjected to conventional treatments before or after pulverization, such as malt pulverization, corn starch, corn grits, etc. For example, malt pulverization can be produced by germinating barley by conventional methods, drying it, and then pulverizing it to a predetermined particle size. In addition, the carbohydrate raw material may be one that has been subjected to a drying treatment such as freeze-drying. Furthermore, one that has been subjected to a gelatinization treatment of the starch contained therein may be used. Depending on the type of carbohydrate raw material, saccharification can be carried out more efficiently by gelatinizing the starch in advance. The gelatinization method is not particularly limited, and can be carried out by conventional methods such as steaming.

[0034] The colored wort fermentation liquor further contains a coloring component as a raw material. The present inventors have found that, instead of adding the coloring component to the wort fermentation liquor, adding the coloring component in the preparation step of a pre-fermentation solution prior to obtaining the colored wort fermentation liquor can suppress the degree of discoloration or fading of the fermented beverage over time after production.

[0035] The coloring component may be any component that can be blended into a beverage and that can color the fermented beverage. The coloring component is preferably a coloring component that exhibits a specific hue, such as a pigment. The coloring component may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0036] Known coloring components include various coloring components such as red, yellow, blue, etc. A coloring component that exhibits a hue different from the color derived from malt is used for the colored wort fermentation liquor, but in consideration of consumer preferences, it is preferable to use a red or reddish-purple coloring component for the colored wort fermentation liquor. Specific examples include gardenia red pigment, monascus pigment, cochineal pigment, safflower red pigment, anthocyanin pigment, red beet pigment, lycopene pigment, Food Red No. 2, No. 3, and No. 40. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the coloring component preferably contains anthocyanin.

[0037] The coloring component is preferably a pigment (natural pigment) derived from natural products such as flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The coloring component may be a pigment extracted from a natural product, or may be the natural product itself or fruit juice without extracting the pigment from the natural product. The natural product may be subjected to a drying process, a shredding process, a crushing process, a grinding process, or the like.

[0038] Anthocyanins are pigments contained in natural products such as berries, acai, grapes, red shiso, red radish, red cabbage, sweet potato, purple sweet potato, veneer, and red beans. Natural products containing a large amount of carbohydrates are preferred, with purple sweet potato being particularly preferred. Natural products containing carbohydrates can be used as carbohydrate raw materials other than the above-mentioned malt because, like malt, the carbohydrates are decomposed in the mashing process and alcohol and carbon dioxide can be produced from the carbohydrate decomposition products in the fermentation process.

[0039] In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the amount of coloring components (particularly anthocyanins) contained as raw materials is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of malt. Furthermore, the amount of coloring components (particularly anthocyanins) contained as raw materials in the fermented beverage of the present invention can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation solution as an index. A higher absorbance derived from the coloring components indicates a higher content of coloring components. In the fermented beverage of the present invention, the pre-fermentation solution preferably has an absorbance at 530 nm of 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0040] In this specification, the absorption spectrum is measured using a spectrophotometer to determine the absorbance of the pre-fermentation solution at a wavelength of 530 nm. The measurement is carried out at a temperature of 20°C using a quartz cell.

[0041] The colored wort fermentation liquid preferably contains hops as a raw material. Hops are typically used as a raw material to impart the flavor and bitterness of beer to beer-flavored beverages. Hops can also be used as processed hop products. The processed hop products refer to hop products obtained by variously processing the above-mentioned hops. Examples of processed hop products include dried cones obtained by simply drying hops, hop pellets obtained by pelleting hops, hop extracts obtained by extracting hops with an organic solvent or carbon dioxide gas, and iso-hop extracts obtained by iso-synthesizing hops.

[0042] The bitterness value of the fermented beverage of the present invention is preferably 10 BU or more, more preferably 15 BU or more. The bitterness value is preferably 50 BU or less, more preferably 40 BU or less. The bitterness value can be measured, for example, by the method described in BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 8.15 (2004), edited by the Brewers Association of Japan.

[0043] The fermented beverage of the present invention includes drinking water. This drinking water is mainly the drinking water contained in the colored wort fermentation liquor, but drinking water may also be added in some cases, for example, to dilute the colored wort fermentation liquor to prepare an original wort extract.

[0044] If necessary, the fermented beverage of the present invention may contain raw materials or food additives commonly used in the food industry, such as pH adjusters (such as baking soda), vitamins, peptides, amino acids, water-soluble dietary fiber, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.

[0045] The fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the original wort extract content, but the original wort extract content is, for example, 15% by weight or less, preferably 12.5% ​​by weight or less. Furthermore, in the fermented beverage of the present invention, the original wort extract content is, for example, 8% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more. Generally, increasing the original wort extract content can improve the drinking experience of the fermented beverage, while decreasing the original wort extract content can improve the lightness of the fermented beverage. In this specification, the original wort extract is the extract contained in the wort after saccharification treatment, and can be determined by the method shown in Analytica-EBC (9.4) (2007).

[0046] The fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the value of the final apparent degree of attenuation, but the final apparent degree of attenuation is, for example, 90% or more, preferably 93% or more. Generally, increasing the final apparent degree of attenuation can enhance the lightness of the fermented beverage. Furthermore, in the fermented beverage of the present invention, the final apparent degree of attenuation is, for example, 105% or less, preferably 102% or less.

[0047] As used herein, the apparent final degree of attenuation refers to the percentage of sugars that can be consumed by yeast as a nutrient source for alcoholic fermentation relative to the total sugar concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid. For example, the apparent final degree of attenuation (Vend) of a fermented beverage made using malt as a raw material can be calculated using the following formula (1): Vend (%) = {(P - Eend) / P} × 100 (1) [where P is the original wort extract and Eend is the apparent final extract] The apparent final extract Eend can be determined by collecting beer in a flask, adding a large amount of fresh compressed yeast, and fermenting with stirring at 25°C until the extract value no longer decreases (24 hours), and then measuring the apparent extract value of the remaining beer. The apparent final extract (Eend) is calculated from the specific gravity of the final extract, including alcohol, and may therefore be a negative value. As a result, the apparent final fermentation may exceed 100%. The apparent final attenuation can be controlled, for example, by adjusting the saccharification conditions, whether or not enzymes are used when saccharifying the raw materials, the types and amounts of raw materials, etc. For example, extending the saccharification time can increase the sugar concentration available to the yeast, thereby increasing the apparent final attenuation.

[0048] The fermented beverage of the present invention has a carbohydrate content of, for example, 1 to 4 g / 100 ml. As used herein, "carbohydrate" refers to carbohydrates that are not dietary fiber.

[0049] The amino acid concentration in the fermented beverage of the present invention is, for example, 5 to 20 mg / 100 mL in terms of amino nitrogen (AN). The amino nitrogen (AN) means the concentration of amino nitrogen [mg / 100 mL], and can be analyzed by, for example, the ninhydrin method (Beer Brewers Association: Beer Analysis Methods, 8.18 (1990)).

[0050] The fermented beverage of the present invention is usually a sparkling beverage containing carbon dioxide, but may also be a non-sparkling beverage.

[0051] The pH of the fermented beverage of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on the type of beverage, and is adjusted to within the range of 2.5 to 5.0, for example.

[0052] The fermented beverage of the present invention has an absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production of, for example, 0.1 or more, preferably 0.15 or more, more preferably 0.25 or more, and even more preferably 0.30 or more. Such a fermented beverage can provide a reddish fermented beverage. On the other hand, the fermented beverage of the present invention has an absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production of, for example, 1.2 or less, preferably 0.80 or less. In this specification, if the absorbance is measured on the day the fermented beverage is produced, it is considered to be "the absorbance measured immediately after production." Therefore, "immediately after production" can also be expressed as "0 days after production," etc.

[0053] In this specification, after decarbonating the fermented beverage, the absorption spectrum is measured using a spectrophotometer to determine the absorbance of the fermented beverage at a wavelength of 530 nm. The measurement is performed using a quartz cell at a temperature of 20°C.

[0054] The fermented beverage of the present invention preferably has a relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C that is 0.8A≦X≦A, and more preferably 0.9A≦X≦A. To measure the absorbance X, the fermented beverage is filled into beer bottles (e.g., brown bottles) and stored at 37°C for 8 weeks. The fermented beverage of the present invention can be stored for long periods in a high-temperature environment, while suppressing discoloration and fading of the fermented beverage.

[0055] The fermented beverage of the present invention can be provided as a packaged beverage. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, brown bottle containers, etc. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown, or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, etc., as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers.

[0056] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid (i.e., a fermented beverage containing a colored fermentation liquid), which includes adding a coloring component in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation process.

[0057] The production method of the present invention can provide the fermented beverage of the present invention described above, and preferably can provide a fermented beverage in which the absorbance measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more and / or the relationship between the absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A. In other words, the production method of the present invention can provide a fermented beverage in which the degree of discoloration and fading that occurs over time after production is suppressed.

[0058] In the production method of the present invention, the step of preparing a pre-fermentation liquid is a step of using malt as a raw material to prepare a liquid to be subjected to fermentation (pre-fermentation liquid).

[0059] The pre-fermentation solution preparation process includes a step of saccharifying malt (brewing process). In the brewing process, wort is prepared from malt as a raw material and, if necessary, starchy components of other carbohydrate raw materials. In the brewing process, mash is prepared by adding malt and other carbohydrate raw materials to a mash tank and mixing them with warm water. Here, the malt and other carbohydrate raw materials are preferably used in a finely crushed form, and preferably in a gelatinized or even liquefied state. Mash can be prepared by a conventional method, for example, by maintaining the mixture at 40 to 60°C for 20 to 90 minutes. If necessary, other raw materials or enzymes such as saccharifying enzymes and proteases may be added. In the production method of the present invention, saccharifying enzymes refer to enzymes that break down starch to produce sugars, and are contained in malt itself, such as α-amylase, glucoamylase, and pullulase.

[0060] The mashed mash is then gradually heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time, whereby the starch is saccharified using enzymes derived from malt or enzymes added to the mash (saccharification treatment). The temperature and time during saccharification treatment can be determined appropriately taking into account the type of enzyme used, the amount of mashed mash, the desired quality of the fermented beverage, etc., and can be, for example, maintained at 60-76°C for 30-90 minutes. After saccharification treatment, the mashed mash is maintained at 76-78°C for approximately 10 minutes, and then filtered in a wort filtration tank to obtain wort from which solids have been removed. Alternatively, wort may be prepared by adding and mixing a portion of the malt, some or all of the other carbohydrate raw materials, and warm water in a mash kettle, subjecting the mashed mashed mashed to saccharification, and then mixing the resulting mixture with the mashed mashed mashed in the mash tank, followed by filtering the mixture in a wort filtration tank to obtain wort.

[0061] In the mashing process, the wort after saccharification is boiled (boiling treatment). Water may be added to the wort before the boiling treatment to adjust the amount of raw wort extract. When the fermented beverage is a beer-flavored beverage, the resulting wort is typically transferred to a boiling kettle, and hops are added and boiled. Hops may be added at any stage between the start and end of boiling. If necessary, ingredients other than hops may also be added to the wort. The boiled wort is transferred to a settling tank called a whirlpool, where hop dregs and coagulated proteins resulting from boiling are removed, and the wort is then cooled to an appropriate fermentation temperature using a plate cooler. The fermentation temperature is typically 8 to 15°C.

[0062] In the production method of the present invention, the coloring component may be added at any stage in the process of preparing the pre-fermentation solution. For example, when the coloring component is a pigment contained in a natural product and is used without being extracted from the natural product, the coloring component is preferably added as a natural product together with malt to the mash kettle and / or mash tank in the mashing process. Furthermore, when the pigment itself is added, it may be added to the wort filtered in the wort filtration tank or to the wort that has been boiled, and specifically, it is preferably added to the wort in the whirlpool tank.

[0063] In the production method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of malt. Furthermore, in the production method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation solution as an index. In the production method of the present invention, the pre-fermentation solution has an absorbance at 530 nm of preferably 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0064] The production method of the present invention further includes a step (fermentation step) of fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid (or wort made from at least malt and coloring components) obtained in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation step. In the fermentation step, yeast is added to the pre-fermentation liquid, which is then transferred to a fermentation tank for fermentation. The fermentation temperature is typically 8 to 15°C, and the fermentation period is preferably 3 to 10 days. The yeast used for fermentation is not particularly limited, and any yeast capable of decomposing the carbohydrates in the pre-fermentation liquid into alcohol and carbon dioxide can be used. However, yeasts typically used in the production of alcoholic beverages can be appropriately selected and used. For example, when the fermented beverage is a beer-flavored beverage, brewer's yeast can be used. Note that either top-fermenting yeast or bottom-fermenting yeast may be used. The fermented liquid after the fermentation step can be filtered to remove the yeast and other ingredients, thereby producing a fermented beverage.

[0065] The production method of the present invention can include a step of maturing the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step (storage step). In the storage step, the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step is matured in a storage tank and stored at low temperatures of around 0°C for stabilization. After maturation, the fermented liquid is filtered to remove yeast and the like, thereby producing a fermented beverage.

[0066] In the production method of the present invention, in order to obtain a desired alcohol concentration, an appropriate amount of water may be added to the fermented liquor obtained in the fermentation step or the storage step before or after filtration to dilute it. Furthermore, in the production method of the present invention, carbon dioxide gas may be added to the fermented liquor obtained in the fermentation step or the storage step before or after filtration.

[0067] In the production method of the present invention, the fermented liquor obtained in the fermentation step or the storage step may be mixed with an alcohol-containing distilled liquid before or after filtration to produce a liqueur, etc. Here, the alcohol-containing distilled liquid is a solution containing alcohol obtained by a distillation operation. The alcohol-containing distillate is not particularly limited as long as it is edible, and any alcohol-containing distillate generally classified as a distilled alcoholic beverage can be used. Examples of distilled alcoholic beverages include shochu, spirits, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, brandy, tequila, and raw material alcohol. Spirits are more preferred as the alcohol-containing distillate, as they have little effect on the taste and are less likely to impair the malt flavor.

[0068] The fermented beverage obtained by the production method of the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage by filling and sealing it in a container. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, and brown bottle containers. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown, or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers.

[0069] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid (i.e., a fermented beverage containing a colored fermentation liquid), which method includes adding a coloring component in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation process.

[0070] According to the method for preventing discoloration of the present invention, the degree of discoloration or fading of a fermented beverage that occurs over time after production can be suppressed by adding a coloring component in the pre-fermentation solution preparation step. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the method for preventing discoloration of the present invention, the absorbance of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm immediately after production is 0.1 or more and / or the relationship between the absorbance A of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm immediately after production and the absorbance X of the fermented beverage measured at 530 nm 8 weeks after production at 37°C is 0.8A≦X≦A.

[0071] In the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the pre-fermentation liquid preparation step is a step of using malt as a raw material to prepare a liquid to be subjected to fermentation (pre-fermentation liquid), the details of which are as described in the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0072] In the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added is preferably 0.01 to 0.2 parts by weight, more preferably 0.025 to 0.15 parts by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of malt. Furthermore, in the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the amount of coloring component (particularly anthocyanin) added can also be determined using the absorbance of the pre-fermentation solution as an index. In the discoloration prevention method of the present invention, the pre-fermentation solution preferably has an absorbance at 530 nm of 0.1 to 1.2, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8.

[0073] The color fading prevention method of the present invention can further include a step of fermenting the pre-fermentation liquid (or wort made from at least malt and coloring components) obtained in the pre-fermentation liquid preparation step (fermentation step), and a step of maturing the fermented liquid obtained in the fermentation step (storage step). Details of the fermentation step and the storage step are as explained in the production method of the present invention.

[0074] The fermented beverage obtained by the color fading prevention method of the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage by filling and sealing it in a container. Suitable containers include brown containers, bottle containers, and brown bottle containers. Specific examples of containers include bottles (preferably brown, brown, or black beer bottles), cans (preferably aluminum cans), barrels, as well as plastic containers such as PET bottles and paper containers. [Example]

[0075] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples in any way.

[0076] <Sample Preparation Method> (Example 1: Purple Sweet Potato Pre-Fermentation Addition Formulation) 40 kg of ground malt and 2 kg of purple sweet potato powder (Kawahitsu Bussan Co., Ltd.) were saccharified, and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trough was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort A. Brewer's yeast was added to this wort A and fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the brewer's yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Degassed water was then added to dilute the wort to 11.8% by weight, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage A. This fermented beverage A was bottled for beer. Immediately after bottling, the absorbance of fermented beverage A at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.694.

[0077] (Comparative Example 1: TH-CA (anthocyanin pigment) added after fermentation) 42 kg of ground malt was saccharified and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trough was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort B. Brewer's yeast was added to this wort B, and the mixture was fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the brewer's yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Then, 1,500 ppm of TH-CA and degassed water were added to dilute the mixture to 11.8% by weight of raw wort extract, and the mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage B. This fermented beverage B was bottled. Immediately after filling, the absorbance of fermented beverage B at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.711.

[0078] In this specification, when the content of a component is expressed in ppm, the content is parts per million by weight of the component relative to the total volume. "ppm" can also be written as "w / v ppm."

[0079] Example 2: TH-CA pre-fermentation addition formulation 30 kg of ground malt and 7.5 kg of corn starch were saccharified, and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to compensate for the evaporation, and 1,500 ppm of TH-CA was added in a whirlpool tank. After removing the heat trough, the mixture was cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort C. Brewer's yeast was added to this wort C, and the mixture was fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the brewer's yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Degassed water was then added to dilute the mixture to 11.8% by weight of raw wort extract, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage C. This fermented beverage C was bottled for beer. Immediately after bottling, the absorbance of fermented beverage C at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.322.

[0080] (Comparative Example 2: TH-CA post-fermentation addition formulation) 30 kg of ground malt and 7.5 kg of corn starch were saccharified, and the enzymes were inactivated at 76°C. The resulting liquid (wort) was filtered. The resulting wort was then transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and the mixture was boiled for 60 minutes. After boiling, hot water was added to replace the evaporated amount, and the heat trough was removed in a whirlpool tank. The mixture was then cooled to 8°C using a plate cooler to obtain 250 L of cold wort. This cold wort was designated wort D. Brewer's yeast was added to this wort D, and the mixture was fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the brewer's yeast was removed. The mixture was transferred to a tank and aged for 7 days, then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Then, 450 ppm of TH-CA and degassed water were added to dilute the mixture to 11.8% by weight of raw wort extract, and the mixture was filtered using diatomaceous earth to obtain fermented beverage D. This fermented beverage D was bottled. Immediately after bottling, the absorbance of fermented beverage D at a wavelength of 530 nm was 0.324.

[0081] <Absorbance> After the sample was decarbonated, the absorption spectrum was measured using a spectrophotometer. Because the red coloring component has a maximum absorption wavelength in the absorption spectrum around 500 nm, the absorbance was determined by measuring the absorption at 530 nm. Measurements were performed using a quartz cell at a temperature of 20°C. The absorbance at 530 nm of each sample was measured immediately after filling into brown beer bottles and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks had passed at 37°C from filling. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 1 and 2.

[0082] Table 1 and Figure 1 show the absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage A and fermented beverage B. Table 2 and Figure 2 show the absorbance at 530 nm of fermented beverage C and fermented beverage D. These results show that the fermented beverages of the Examples can suppress the degree of discoloration and fading that occurs over time after production, compared to the fermented beverages of the Comparative Examples.

[0083] [Table 1]

[0084] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A method for producing a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid, wherein a coloring component is added in the step of preparing a pre-fermentation liquid.

2. A method for preventing discoloration of a fermented beverage containing a colored wort fermentation liquid, comprising adding a coloring component during the pre-fermentation liquid preparation process.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fermented beverage has an absorbance of 0.1 or more measured at 530 nm immediately after production.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fermented beverage has an absorbance A measured at 530 nm immediately after production and an absorbance X measured at 530 nm after 8 weeks at 37°C after production, such that the relationship between the absorbance A and the absorbance X is 0.8A≦X≦A.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermented beverage is a packaged beverage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the container is a brown container, a bottle container, or a brown bottle container.

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